Fender shield and mounting



Nov; 26, 1940. A. P. FERGUESON FENDER SHIELD AND MOUNTING Filed Dec. 30,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l my E1 2 :1

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Nov, 26, 1940. A. P. FERGUESON FENDER SHIELD AND MOUN' IING Filed Dec.30, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES FENDERSHIELD AND MOUNTING Arthur P. Ferguesom Detroit, Mich., assignor toHoudaille-Hershey Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a. corporation of MichiganApplication December 30, 1938, Serial No. 248,390

3 Claims.

This invention relates to fender shields and fender shield assemblies,and more particularly to a fender shield of the type in which a fendershield is progressively wrapped into place on the vehicle fender by acompound flexing movement. This invention also relates to a novelsupporting and mounting means for detachably securing a fender shield indesired position on a vehicle fender. In the vehicle industry, andparticularly in the automobile industry, various means have beenutilized to improve the appearance of vehicle fenders. The usual vehiclefender is provided with an opening which affords access to the vehiclewheel, and which permits the ready removal of the wheel in an axialdirection. Since this opening inherently presents an unattractiveoutward appearance, detachable fender shields have been employed tosubstantially cover this opening. As the term fender shield shallhereinafter be employed, it refers to any member which is adapted to besecured to a fender or other portion of a vehicel body for the purposeof covering the' opening in the fender or vehicle body which 5 isprovided for access to or removal of the vehicle wheel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fender andfender shield assembly, or the like.

30 It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel fendershield including supporting and latching means which is economical tomanufacture, and which is rugged and reliable in use.

It is a still further object of this invention to 35 provide a novelcombination of fender and fender shield wherein the fender shield isprogressively wrapped into place as it is mounted on a vehicle fender bya compound flexing movement.

, Another and further object of this invention is 40 to provide a novelfender and fender shield assembly in which the fender shield isinitially supported at its top and is then progressively wrapped orflexed around its curved edge downwardly towards its two lower cornersand in which it is thereafter flexed in a plane transverse to the planeof the fender shield by an inward flexing of the base edge of the fendershield.

The novel features which I believe to be char- 50 acteristic of myinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Myinvention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner ofconstruction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, maybest be under- 55 stood by reference to the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a fender shield and fenderassembly illustrating one embodiment of the present invention; l 5

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the fender and fendershield assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line Ill-III ofFigure 2; 10

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an elevational view partly in crosssection of the lockingmechanism as taken along the line V-V of Figure 2; 15

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic end view of the fender shield and fenderillustrating the first wrapping or flexing movement; and,

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the base edge of the fendershieldillustrating the 20 final flexing movement as the fender shield ismounted in place on the fender.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawings, there isillustrated therein a vehicle fender ll] of the high-crown type which iscommonly employed on motor vehicles of the present day. Mounted on anddetachably secured to the fender i0 is a fender shield H which ispreferably stream-lined in shape, and designed to harmonize with thevehicle fender Ill. The outer downwardly depending side wall of thefender I0 is provided with a substantially semi-circular opening I2.which affords access tovthe vehicle wheel (not shown) and permitsremoval of the wheel therethrough. As' shown in the drawings, the outercurved edge l3 of the fender shield II is neither designed nor shaped toconform to the shape of the wheel access opening l2 of the fender l0,but is arranged to overlap the outer depending side wall of the fenderIll as is clearly 40 shown in Figure 1.

The marginal portion of the fender l0 adjacent the wheel opening I2 isunderturned or rolled, as at M (see Figure 3), while the base edges [5and [6 of the fender [0 are underturned or rolled as at I! (see Figure5). Secured to the fender In above the top of the opening I2 is asupporting pin or button l8, an intermediate portion l9 of the shank ofthe pin or button I8 being preferably square in cross-section for areason which will presently appear. The rear extremity of the pin orbutton I8 is threaded, as at 20, and is arranged to receive acomplementary threaded nut 2|. The opposite end of the pin or, buttonIt! is provided with a head 22 and 5 5 spaced rearwardly from the head22 is an intermediate fixed collar 23. The portion 24 which lies betweenthe head 22 and the intermediate collar 23 is preferably round and isarranged to 5 engage and support the fender shield II as will presentlybe described. The square shank portion I9 extends through acomplementary square aperture in the fender I0 and through a reinforcingplate 25 disposed against the rear face of the 10 fender I0. After thebutton or pin I8 has been passed through the fender I0 and thereinforcing plate 25 and the nut 2| is screwed up tightly thereon, thepin or button assembly I8 is in position to support the fender shield II.

The fender shield II includes a principal panel portion 26 which isprovided with an inturned base flange 21 and a curled or turned-backmarginal portion 28 around the curved edge I3. Extending substantiallyvertically across the rear face of the fender shield II is a reinforcingbracket or leg 29. The greater part of the reinforcing bracket or leg 29lies in intimate contact against the rear face of the fender shield I I,but the upper end portion thereof is bent obliquely away from the fendershield I I as at 3B, and then upwardly as at 3|, where it terminatesadjacent the curled marginal portion 28 of the fender shield II. The topedge of the upper portion of the bracket 29 is knocked out as at 32 (seeFigure 4) to permit tabs 33 to be struck inwardly therethrough to make atight engagement therewith (see Figure 3). The lower end of thereinforcing bracket or leg 29 is bent rearwardly, as at 34 to lie inintimate contact with the in- 35 turned base flange 21 of the fendershield II. The rearwardly bent portion 34 is riveted or otherwisesuitably secured to the base flange 21 of the fender shield II as at 35.The upper portion 3| of the reinforcing bracket or leg 29 is providedwith a circular aperture or hole 36 which is slightly larger than themaximum overall diameter of the head 22 of the button or pin I8 on thefender Iil. Disposed immediately above the circular aperture 36 is asmaller aperture 37,

which is of suflicient size to just slip over the circular shank portion24 of the button or pin I8. The aperture 31 connects with the aperture35 as is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

From a careful inspection of the drawings, it

will thus be clear that the fender shield II may be vertically supportedon the fender I9 by hooking the reinforcing bracket or leg 29 over thehead 22 of the button or pin I8 and then lowering the fender shield I Iuntil the top of the small aperture 31 rests on the shank portion 24 ofthe supporting pin or button I8. When the fender shield II is in thisposition on the supporting pin or button I8, the inturned base flange 21is so positioned and arranged that it may be (30 forced under the baseedges I5 and I6 of the fender I0 (see Figures 2 and 5).

The fender shield II is designed and shaped so that it can beprogressively flexed or wrapped into place on the fender I0 as it ismounted thereon. This progressive flexing or wrapping action may best beunderstood from an examination of the diagrammatic views of the fenderand fender shield assembly as shown in Figures 6 and 'l of the drawings.It should be remembered in referring to these two figures that Figure 6is a diagrammatic end view' of the fender shield and fender, the fullline showing the fender in an unflexed position and the dotted line viewillustrating the fender shield in its flexed position;

while Figure '7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the lower edge of thefender shield in which the full line shows the lower edge of the fendershield in an unflexed position while the dotted line shows the loweredge of the fender shield in its flexed position. The two views, namely,Figure 6 5 and Figure '7, when considered together, illustrate thecompound flexing action of the present invention.

The fender shield II is shaped and designed so that in an unflexedposition it is not possible 10 to seat the fender shield II on thefender ID. More specifically, the fender shield I I, when hung on thesupporting pin or button I8, is so arranged that its curved edge I3flares away from the portion of the fender II] which lies immediatelyop- 15 posite it, it being the furthest away from the fender III at itslower corners. In order that the curved edge I3 of the fender shield IIwill engage the fender I0 and be seated tightly thereon, it is necessaryto warp the fender shield II 20 into place. This action has been termeda progressive flexing or wrapping of the fender shield into place sincethe curved edge I3 of the fender shield II progressively engages thefender II) from a point in proximity to its top down around 25 both sideedges to the l'ower corners of the fender shield. In addition to theprogressive flexing or wrapping of the curved edge I3 of the fendershield II into place from the top of the fender shield to the two lowercorners thereof, the fender 30 shield II is also arranged to be flexedinwardly in a plane transverse to the surface of the fender shield II.This second flexing action is brought about by applying a force asindicated by the arrow F in Figure '7 to the lower portion of the 35fender shield II. This application of force at the point indicated bythe arrow F causes the lower edge of the fender shield II to be flexedinwardly from the full line position as shown in Figure '7 to'the dottedline position shown in 40 Figure 7, and comprises the second movement ofthe compound flexing action of the fender shield I I as it is mountedinto place on the fender I9. It has been found that a fender shield whenflexed in this compound manner as it is mounted 4,5 on a fender I Jprovides an unusually tight and firm fitting with the fender III andsubstantially eliminates all vibration and noise therewith.

In order to retain the fender shield in its compound flexed position, alocking mechanism 38 is 50 provided on the fender shield II at the pointwhere the force F is to .be applied. The locking mechanism 38 isillustrated as being of the usual key-operated tumbler lock type havingan outer head portion 39 and a cylindrical shank portion 65 4B which isthreaded for a short distance as at 4| adjacent the head 39. A nut orwasher 42, which is internally threaded for complementary engagementwith the threaded portion 4|, clamps the locking mechanism 38 in tightmounted engage- 60 ment on the fender shield II. Mounted on the fenderI9 opposite the cylindrical shank portion 43 of the lock mechanism 38 isa collar 43 having a head portion 44 and a shank portion 45 which isthreaded for a short distance adjacent the 6 head M as at 45. Welded, orotherwise suitably secured to the rear face of the fender I I], is athreaded collar All through which the collar 43 is passed, the threadedportion 46 being threaded into the threaded collar 41. The lockingmecha- 70 nism 33 is provided with the usual radially extensible fingers48 which engage the rear end of the collar 43 and which may be retractedinto the cylindrical shank portion 40 upon operation of the lockingmechanism. 15

To mount the fender shield ll on the fender I0, it is simply necessaryto hook the reinforcing bracket or leg 29 of the fender shield ll overthey supporting button or pin l8 on the fender m, and then progressivelyflex the curved edge l3 of the fender shield II into place against theouter sur- 1 until the locking mechanism 38 snaps throughthe collar 43.

To dismount thefender shield H, the locking mechanism 38 is unlocked andthe fender shield H is thenxlifted olf the supporting button or pinWhile I have shown a key-operated locking mechanism as a means by whichthe fender shield II is held in its compound flexed position, it is tobe understood that any form of clamping mechanism for retaining thefender shield in place, whether it be a key-operated locking mechanismor not, so as to hold it in its compound flexed position, maybe employedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will, ofcourse, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, sincemany modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by theappended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my inventiom l 1. The combination comprising a vehicle bodypart having a downwardly depending side wall portion provided with awheel opening therein and a shield mounted on said side wall portionover said opening-said shield being supported and held in position onsaid side wall portion at its top and being shaped so that in anunflexed position the edge portion of said shield progressively flaresaway from said side wall portion as it approaches the base thereof andsaid shield also being shaped so that its lower edge in its unflexedposition is bowed outwardly from its mounted position, and means forholding said shield in a compound flexed position on said side wallportion.

2. The combination comprising a Vehicle body part having a downwardlydepending side wall portion provided with a wheel opening therein and ashield mounted on said side wall portion over said opening, said shieldhaving a curved side wall portion engaging edge and a base edge, meansadjacent the top of said shield for detachably supporting and securingsaid shield on said side wall portion over said opening, said shieldbeing shaped and arranged so that said curved edge of said shield isprogressively flexed from the top of said shield towards the two lowercorners thereof and so that said base edge of said shield isprogressively flexed inwardly as said shield is mounted in desiredposition on said side wall portion. x

3. As an article of manufacture, a shield for disposition over the wheelaccess opening of a Vehicle body part, said shield being shaped andarranged to overlap the opening of said body part a substantial portionatleast at one end thereof,

said shield having means in proximity to its top for engaging said bodypart and supporting said shield thereon, and said shield havingadditional latching means for engaging said body part in close proximityto the opening thereof at a point spaced inwardly a substantial distancefrom the vehicle body part contacting edge of said shield,

' said latching means being arranged to place and

